Enjoy These Tasty 3 Greek Keftedes Recipes

Leek Patties

Bite-sized crispy fritters, often known as keftedes, stand as a treasured delicacy in Jewish culinary traditions. These particular leek patties present a flavorful combination of hearty minced beef with the gentle, sweetly mild flavour of tender leeks, and they are utterly crave-worthy.

Makes 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Olive oil, for cooking
• Lemon wedges, to serve

Thoroughly wash the leeks properly and cut away the base and the bulk of the green stalk. Cut in half longways then into half-inch slices. Put in a deep pan and cover with fresh water, then cook over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Drain the leeks and put in a big bowl with the minced beef, beaten eggs, matzo meal, fresh dill, chopped parsley and sweet paprika and spice liberally with pepper and salt. Stir thoroughly using your palms then form a few tablespoonfuls into a croquette, flattening a slightly. Place on a platter and repeat for the remaining of the ingredients.

Preheat olive oil in a skillet to a amount of about 2cm over a medium heat. When the olive oil is hot, cook the patties in batches until crispy on all sides. (Don't overcrowd the frying pan as this lowers the heat of the cooking oil.) Take out the ready patties to a plate lined with paper towel and permit to rest.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Keftes de Espinacha

These delightful cheesy spinach croquettes are a real treat. The crunchy exterior gives way to a smooth filling. The fresh spinach adds a vibrant, somewhat green taste, while the dairy provides a rich, umami richness. Feel free to swap the dairy cheese with boiled, pureed potato if you prefer.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or about 500g frozen leaf spinach, thawed in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 100g salty cheese, grated finely
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), additional if required
• 3 large eggs
• Cooking oil for pan-frying (or vegetable oil)
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

If using leafy greens, wash it well, removing any tough stems, and coarsely chop it into large chunks. Transfer in a large saucepan with a small amount water over a medium heat. Once softened, strain in a colander for about a quarter hour, then squeeze out any remaining moisture and reserve.

When working with thawed frozen spinach, thoroughly remove unwanted moisture.

Warm the cooking oil in a frying pan over a medium flame and fry the onion and garlic until softened, about a few minutes. Turn off the stove.

Place the cooked spinach, fried onion and softened garlic, kefalotyri, ricotta, nutmeg, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a large bowl and spice with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly until blended. If the mixture appears too loose, mix in some additional crumbs.

By hand, shape the dough into elongated patties a bit bigger than a walnut shell but more compact than an large egg, and place them on a baking sheet covered with wax paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

In a large frying pan over moderate heat, heat oil to a amount of about 1cm. Brown the fritters a few at a time for 2–3 minutes per side, turning so they are crispy completely, then transfer on paper towel.

Present with lemon wedges.

Kroketes Fakes

With their crispy exterior and moist center, these croquettes are not only flavorful but also a extremely wholesome snack or meal.

Yields 12

• 45g dry lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml olive oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 fresh egg
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Greek yoghurt and lemon wedges, to accompany

Place the brown lentils in a pan and submerge with plenty of water. Boil over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until almost cooked, adding more water to keep the pulses submerged if needed.

Add the bulgur wheat and continue cooking until tender. Strain the ingredients completely and put aside in a mixing bowl.

Warm 50% of the